Sound reproducing device



3 Sheets-Sheet 1 E. B. BUSH SOUND REPRODUCING DEV-ICE Filed Feb. 22, 1945 May 26, 1953 May 26, 1953 E. B. BUSH SOUND REFRODUCING DEVICE Filed Feb. 22, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 new N9 m QN w May 26, 1953 E. B. BUSH SOUND REPRODUCING DEVICE s Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb. 22, 1945 Patented May 26, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SOUND REPRODUCING DEVICE Elijah Bryant Bush, Oklahoma City, Okla.

Application February 22, 1945, Serial No. 579,250

3 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to a sound reproducing device adapted to be intermittently operated or actuated by either mechanical or electrical means, or by manual movement and is more particularly directed to a type of apparatus which is relatively compact, portable and which may be mounted on a vehicle or other movable support or else on a fixed base.

An object of the present invention is to provide a mechanism and means to be operated electrically or mechanically, as well as manually, or by a composition of any, for reproducing sound recorded on a record.

Another object of my invention is to provide a portable mechanism of the aforesaid type, which on manual initiation will cause a sound reproducing device to be in contact with starting portion of a sound bearing record or disk and become automatically disengaged after a predetermined time of operation.

A further object of the invention is a production of a mechanism adapted to be installed in stationary position or on a movable vehicle and which includes a means for rotating a disk or cylinder, means for causing a reproducing head to engage the record and means to disengage said head after a predetermined interval, said mechanism adapted to make announcements to inform persons and to attract attention, as for example, announce the presence or arrival of milk men, post men, taxi cabs or other vehicles.

A still further object is to provide selectively operable means or mechanism to communicate information which has been recorded on a record such as a disk, by means of sound, signal or words.

The above, other and further objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings.

The invention has herein been illustrated and described as exemplifying an apparatus to reproduce relatively short messages or other sounds, although it is not so limited.

' On the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the apparatus of the present invention as the same appears in a casing, with certain parts of the easing removed to show its interior.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of the device of Fig. 1, with certain parts broken away for clarity.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view of the mechanism utilizing a motor for actuating certain of the movable parts.

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of the manually operable lever mechanism which may be used in lieu of electrical means for initiating movement of certain of the parts,...' i

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view of the upper portion of a lever mechanism for actuating the tone arm-for raising or lowering the same and for returning it to starting position after apredetermined interval.

Fig. 6 is a wiring diagram illustrating the electrical-connections for the actuation of the electric means of the invention.

Fig. '7 is a side elevational view of certain parts of the invention, in full lines, a normal or inoperative position of theparts; in dotted lines, relative position during operation of the mechamsm.

Fig. 8 is a top plan view of Fig. 7.

The apparatus is enclosed in a casing having a base [0 and a rear wall I I. For clarity the end, top and front walls have been omitted as these form no part Of the invention.

Supported on a suitable base I2 is a solenoid l3 having a core I4 arranged to work in horizontal direction. The core is pivoted at [5 to a horizontally movable bar A, supported intermediate its length by a bearing [6 carried by an upstanding post i! fastened to the base I 0 by screws l8.

A turn table B is mounted on the upper end of a vertical shaft IS, the lower end of which is supported by a vertical bearing 20 secured to the base It) by bolts 2|. The upper end of the shaft is carried in a journal 22 secured to the back board H by bolts 23. The shaft is provided with a threaded portion 24. A felt 25 is secured to the face of the turn table B for supporting record 26 in the usual manner. A center pin 2'! is carried by the turn table for centering the record on the table.

For driving the shaft l9, a gear 28 having teeth 29 cut to mesh with the teeth 24 of the shaft [9 for rotating the turn table whenever the gear 28 is rotated. The teeth 24 and 29 are of the character usually employed in driving the turn tables of sound reproducing machines.

The gear 28 is loosely mounted on a cross shaft 30 which at its inner end is supported by a journal 3| and its outer end in a journal 32.

Extending upwardly from a base 33 is a post 34 which cooperates with a block 35 bolted to it to form the journal 32. The upper end of the post 34 has a threaded hole through it to receive a stop screw 36. Keyed to the shaft 30 is a ratchet wheel 31 adacent the gear 28. A pawl 38 is pivoted at 39 to the gear 28 and a spring 40 acts against pawl to normally maintain it in engagement with a tooth of the ratchet. Also keyed to the shaft 30 is a spur gear 4| meshing with rack teeth 42 on the bar A.

Secured to the bar A by a screw 43 is a collar 34 which may be ..moved along the bar A as desired. A spring 45 surrounds the bar A between the bearing I6 and the collar 44 and its tendency is to move the bar A to the right as viewed in Fig. 1.

Pivoted to the base 33 and extending upwardly therefrom is a rocker arm 46 disposed with a portion thereof against the stop screw 30 of the post 34.

Pivoted to the arm 46 is a horizontally extending bar 41 having a widened end portion carrying a yoke 19 extending laterally from one side of the portion 48.

Another bar 50 extends horizontally and laterally spaced from the bar 41 and near one end extends through the yoke 49. The other end of the bar 50 is slidable in a yoke 5| on the upper end of the post 34.

As seen in Fig. 1 near the right hand end of the bar 50 a shoulder or notch 52 is formed to receive a portion of the yoke/49 on bar 41 under certain conditions, to cause simultaneous movement of these bars. The righthand end or the bar 50 is pivoted at 53 to the upper end of the post 54 which is secured to the bar A by ascrew 55 to thereby allow longitudinal adjustment of the bar 50 with respect to the bar 01.

Attached to the right hand end of the back wall II is a block 56 of insulating material'through which extends the shank 51 of a push button C. A spring conductor 50 is fastened to the block 55 by a screw 50 and bears against the inner end of the shank 51 of the push button. A contact point 30 is secured to the spring conductor 58. Also fastened to the block 55 by a screw 59 'is'a conductor 62 having a contact point'BS in line with the contact point 50 so as to make electrical engagement between these points when the button C is pushed. V

X is one terminal and Y the other terminal for connection to a source of electrical current.

An upright attached to the base I 0 by a bolt carries an insulating block 66. Secured to this block is a spring conductor 01 and another spring conductor 68. The two conductors are separated by insulation 69. A looped conductor is also secured to the'bl'ock and insulated from conductor 58. The upper end of the conductor 10 is bent back in U formation. The conductor '51 is provided with contact pointsl'l and 12 on each side of its free end while the conductor 68 is provided with a contact point 13. The bent end of the conductor 10 carries a. contact point 14 in line with the point H on conductor 61.

A wire leads from terminal X to conductor 61. A wire 16- leads from the'conductor 52 to the conductor I58.

A relay D is mounted'on the back board II by a yoke 11 secured to the back board 'II' by bolts 18. The relay has'terminals 19 and 80. Conductor 8| is supported adjacent the relay and carries a contact point 82. 'An arm 83 is'pivotcd at 84 to the relay and carriesa contact-85 to engage with contact 82 under certain conditions.

A wire 86 connects the terminal 'Y with the terminal 19 of the relay. A wire 81 connects the spring conductor 50 with the terminal =80 of the relay. A wire 88 connects the conductor93 with wire 15 at junction point 89. The conductor BI is connected to a binding post 90 by a wire 9| and a wire 92 connects the wire 86 to a binding post 93.

One terminal 94 of the solenoid I3 is connected to a binding post 95 and the other terminal 95 is connected to a binding post 91. A'wire 98 connects binding posts 90 and 95 while a wire 99 connects binding posts 93 and 91.

Referring to Fig. 6 it will be observed that when the push button C is moved inwardly to bring the contacts 60 and 63 into engagement an electric circuit, herein called the starting circuit, is closed as follows, terminal Y, wire 00, terminal 19 of the relay, terminal 80, wire 81 to conductor 58 then conductor 02, wire 16, conductor 68, contacts 12 and 13, conductor 61 and wire 15 to X. It may be stated that under normal conditions the contacts 13 and 12 are engaged, by means to "be hereinafter described.

Theclosing of the starting circuit energizes the relay D to moving the contact into engagement with contact 82 closing the circuit through the solenoid, energizing it and pulling the bar A to the left.

The pivoted contact 83 is provided with a downwardly extending foot I00. A collar IOI is secured to the bar A by a screw I02 which collar has an upstanding part'to engage underneath the foot I00 of the pivoted contact 83 when the bar A is moved to the left. The engagement just described maintains the contacts 82 and 85 in circuit closed position even though the circuit through the relay D has been broken by return of the push button C to its normal position that is with the contacts 00 and 63 separated. The collar I0'I is usually arranged to maintain the contacts 82 and 05 in engagement until the bar A has been moved to desired distance to the left, the collar then moves out from underneath the foot I00 allowing it to drop by gravity thus opening the solenoid circuit and stop movement of the bar A to the left.

When the parts are in normal 01' inoperative position as illustrated in Fig. 1 insulated block I09 which is attached to the extremity of the bar A bears against the spring conductor 61 to maintain contacts 12 and 13 in engagement. As soon as the bar A starts its movement to the left, the spring conductor 61 then moves to the left bringing contacts 1| and 14 into engagement.

An amplifier uni-t Eis suitably mounted on the back board II. A speaker F is also mounted on the back .board Hand is electrically connected to the amplifier by wires I04 and I05. A wire 05 connects one terminal I01 of the amplifier to the conductor 10. Another wire I09 connects the other terminal of the amplifier to the terminal Y. Thus when the bar A is moved to the left so that contacts "II and 14 are in engagement, an electric circuit through the amplifier is set up from X tovwire 15, conductor 61, contact "II. contact 14, conductor 10, wire I06 to the terminal I01 through the amplifier through terminal I08, wire I09 through terminal Y. This circuit is closed as long as the bar A is moved away from its normal position thus energizing the amplifier through the operation of the device.

A tone arm G is mounted on a vertical pivot Unattached to the back wall II by a base I I I. Conductors H2 and H3 electrically connect the tone arm G with the amplifier E so that sound picked up by the needle II 4 may be amplified by the speaker F.

Attached to the rocker arm 40 is a plate I I5 having slots III; for receiving attaching bolts I I1 to mount the plate on the arm 46 with the plane of the plate perpendicular to the plane of the paper of Fig. 1. By reason of the slot connection of the plate H5 on the arm 46 it may be adjusted as desired. The plate has an extension I IB which underlies the tone arm G with its upper surface inclined from tront to back as viewed inFig. 1 and left to right as viewed in Fig. 5. Secured to the lower portion of the tone arm G is an inclined piece II9 which rides on the inclined surface of the extension H8. Full line arrangement of Fig. 5 shows the tone arm supported by the extension H8 at its lowermost point of vertical travel, which is the normal position of the parts with the needle II4 directly over the starting point of the groove on the record 26. The dotted line position of the tone arm shows the relation of the parts when the tone arm has been swung towards the end of the travel of the needle in the groove about to be picked up by the extension H8 and returned to normal position.

A tension spring I connected at one end to an eye I20a secured to the post 2!) and to the other end to an eye bolt I2I, passing through the rocker arm 46 a nut I22 is threaded onto the bolt I2I for adjusting the tension of the spring. The function of the spring is to maintain the upper end of the rocker arm 46 in contact with the stop screw 36.

"The upper end of the bracket I1 carries a horizontal member I23 which has slidably mounted on it, a block I24 having an inclined upper face I25 positioned in the path of movement of the bar 41. The block I24 is adjustable along the member I23 to trip engagement of the yoke 49 with the notch or shoulder 52 in the bar 50.

When it is desired to reproduce the sound or message impressed on the record 26, push button C is moved inwardly, that is to the left, as viewed in Fig. 1. This movement closes the starting circuit, heretofore described, to energize the relay to close the circuit to the solenoid I3. As soon as the solenoid I3 has energized, bar A is pulled to the left and the collar IOI moves underneath the foot I00 of the contact 83 of the relay to maintain the points 82 and 85 in engagement. As long as these points are in contact the solenoid will function to draw the bar A to the left. The movement of the bar in this direction rotates the spur gear M and the ratchet wheel 31 in clockwise direction, the pawl 3| rides over the ratchet teeth during such rotation. The movement of bar A to the left will move the bar 50 to the left bringing the notch or shoulder 52 of said bar underneath the yoke 49 of the ba 41 causing the right hand end of the bar 41 to drop into the notch. As stated, as soon as the bar A moves to the left, a circuit is established through amplifier E. When the bar A has moved to the left a distance to move the collar IllI from underneath the foot I00 solenoid circuit is broken whereupon spring 45 functions to move the bar A to the right. This movement will rotate the spur gear M and ratchet wheel 31 in counterclockwise direction. By reason of the engagement of the pawl 38 with the teeth of the ratchet wheel. counterclockwise rotation. is employed with the gear 28 thus rotating the turn table. As soon as the bar A starts to the right bar with the bar 41 moves to the right. Movement of the bar 41 to the right swings the arm 46 from its full line position of Fig. l to the right thus lowering the needle II4 on to the record groove. As bar A continues to move to the right arm 46 will continue to swing to the right to keep the inclined surface of extension II8 from interfering with the contact of the needle with the record. When the bar A has moved to the right a distance suihcient to cause the right hand end of bar 41 to contact block I24, engagement of the yoke 49 with the shoulder 52 of the bar 50 is broken whereupon the tension spring I I9 quickly returns the rocker arm 45 in normal position against the stop screw 33. The return of the rocker arm 36 to normal position causes engagement of the inclined surface of the extension I I8 of plate II5 to raise the needle from the record. Because of the inclination of the surface of the extension the tone arm then slides down on this extension until it reaches the bottom of the hill which is shown in full line in Fig. 5, in which position the needle is again over the starting point of the impressed groove on the record ready for repetition of the message by a subsequent operation of the device.

It will be understood from the description given that the time of rotation of the turn table is somewhat limited. This time could be increased by increasing the length of the rack bar A and time during which the bar is undergoing movement by reason of the exertion of spring 45.

It may be noted that my invention contemplates electrical means for moving the rack bar A in one direction and mechanical means for moving it in the opposite direction, the mechanism being set in motion by push button. The adjustment of the block I24 on the member I23 determines the length of time the needle H4 is in engagement with the record. The positioning of the collar IOI on the rack bar A determines the extent of travel of the bar to the left, which adjustment may be made in accordance with the length of the groove on the record, whereupon the record rotates till the end of the message or sound is reached.

Fig. 3 discloses another arrangement of electrical means for moving the rack bar A to the right. In this figure electric motor I23 is suitably mounted on the base I0 of the apparatus. Conductors I24 and I25 connected respectively to binding posts and 91 put the motor in the circuit controlled by the energization of the relay D to actuate the motor in the same manner that the solenoid I3 is actuated which is heretofore described.

In this form of the invention a shaft I26 suitably journalled in uprights I21 carries the gear I35; ratchet wheel I28. A link I30 which is pivoted at one end by pin I29 to the ratchet wheel and its other end is pivoted at I3I to the adjacent end of the rack bar A.

It will be noted that the ratchet wheel I28 is arranged to operate in the reversedirection from the ratchet wheel 31 of Fig. l. A detent or pawl I32 is pivoted at I33 to gear I35 and is held against a tooth of the ratchet by a spring I34. The gear I35 and the ratchet wheel are loose on the shaft I26. The motor shaft I31 is provided with aworm I33 in mesh with the gear I35. The outer end of the motor shaft is supported by a pin I39. The arrangement is such that when the motor I23 is energized the gear is moved counterclockwise, such movement causing counterclockwise movement of the ratchet wheel pulling the rack bar A to the left. The relationship of the collar II to the foot I00 of the relay is such that the motor circuit is opened as the pin I29 is slightly beyond dead center, that is to say a little more than degrees in counterclockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 3.

Fig. 4 illustrates a manually operable mechanism which may be used instead of the electrical means, heretofore described, for moving the rack bar A to the left. A vertically extending lever I40 is pivoted at I4I to a base plate secured to the base I0 of the casing. A handle I43 is 7 at the upper end of the lever. A link I44 is pivoted at I45 to the adjacent end of the rack bar A. The link has, near its other end, an L- shaped slot I46 in which works a pin 14'! secured to the lever I40. Pivoted to swing on the pin I41 is a triangularly shaped plate I40 which is provided with an arcuate slot I49 which receives a bolt I50 secured in the lever I40. Bolt I50 and lever I40, which bolt has a wing nut II on it so that the angular relationship of the plate I48 with respect to the lever I40 may be adjusted. The plate I48 has an upturned lug I52 disposed to engage the lower margins of the link I44 under certain conditions. A spring I53 is connected between the link I44 and the plate I48 to normally urge the plate towards the left hand end of the link. A tension spring I54 is anchored at I55 to base I0 and its other end is secured to a pin I56 of the lever I40. This spring functions to move the lever I40 to the right, as viewed in Fig. 4.

Operation of Fig. 4

The position of the parts shown in Fig. 4 is the normal position with the rack bar A at its limit of travel to the right.

To move the rack bar A to the left the operator swings the handle I43 to the left against the action of the spring I54 during which movement the plate I48 swings about bolt I50 as a pivot causing engagement of lug I52 with the link I44 to raise the left hand end of the link out of engagement with the pin I41 thus discontinuing pull of the rack bar A to the left. When this condition occurs the operator releases his grip of the lever I40 whereupon the spring 45 moves the rack bar A to the right to rotate the turn table.

It is to be understood that whenever the manually operable starting unit of Fig. 4 is employed, electrical connections for the solenoid or motor are omitted. When the arrangement of Fig. 4 is employed a sufiicient amount of wiring and electrical connections are necessary to supply electric current to the amplifier as the bar A is moved to the left. In other words electrical connections must be established between the contacts II and 14 to close the amplifier circuit.

The invention has been described herein more or less precisely as to details, and it is to be understood that the invention is not limited as the parts may be rearranged or equipped substantially without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a structure of the class described including a turn table and tonearm having a lower inclined surface, means for rotating the table including a rack bar and a threaded spindle and gear means operatively connecting said rack bar and threaded spindle, and means for lifting and for lowering the tone arm and returning it to a position over the starting point of a record, including an automatically returnable rocker arm pivoted at its lower end and swingable in a vertical plane and having its upper part thereof contactable with said inclined surface, a second bar extending upwardly and operatively connected to said rack bar and adapted to be moved thereby. and a third bar having one end connected to said rocker arm and movable by said second bar, the movement of said rack bar in one direction resulting in the movement of said third bar with respect to said inclined surface to permit gravity lowering of said tone arm, and means for automatically disconnecting said third bar from said second bar to thereby permit-said rocker arm to return to starting position, a plurality of electrical circuits adapted to connect a sound amplifier and said tone arm; and electrical switches mounted in said circuits for opening and closing said circuits and-projecting means connected to said rack bar and adapted to open and close said switch means upon movement of said rack bar.

2. In a structure of the described class including a turn table and tone arm having a lower inclined surface, and means for rotating the table, a swingable rocker arm stationarily pivoted at its lower end; lever means for returning said rocker arm to the starting position; a portion of said lever means being engageable with said rocker arm; a horizontally movable bar operatively connected to said table rotating means and operatively connectable to said rocker arm, the movement of said bar in one direction being adapted to cause said rocker arm to move to cause lowering of said tone arm; a block mounted below said rocker arm and in the path of movement of said rocker arm, the engagement of said block with said rocker arm causing said rocker arm to disconnect from said horizontally movable bar whereby said rocker arm returning means will return said rocker arm to starting position with a resultant elevation of said tone arm.

3. In a disk type sound reproducing means having a turn. table for a disk, a spindle on which said turntable is mounted; said spindle having spiral teeth thereon, means for rotating the turn table including a reciprocable rack bar, a pair of rotatably mounted concentric gears operatively connecting said rack bar and said spiral teeth of said spindle, spring means for moving said rack bar in one direction, a pivotally mounted tone arm; an upwardly extending arm adjustably connected to said rack bar; a recessed horizontally extending bar connected at one end thereof to said arm; a horizontally adjustable bar slidably connected at one end thereof to said last mentioned horizontal bar; an upwardly extending arm pivoted at its lower end and having its upper end slidably engaging said tone arm, said slidably mounted bar being adapted to be moved horizontally to horizontally move said upwardly extending bar whose upper end engages said tone arm to thereby raise and lower said tone arm, the movement of said rack bar in one direction being adapted to move said bars and said levers to lower said tone arm.

ELIJAH BRYANT BUSH.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 732,820 Birnbaum July 7, 1903 896,950 Stinson Aug. 25, 1908 1,202,312 Prout Oct. 24, 1916 1,358,709 Dalrymple Nov. 16, 1920 1,391,315 Gordon Sept. 20, 1921 1,407,547 Kellogg Feb. 21, 1922 1,440,634 Seabolt Jan. 2, 1923 1,855,173 Ashworth Apr. 26, 1932 1,861,066 Rees May 31, 1932 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 13,125 Austria Mar. 1, 1903 666,163 France May 14, 1929 114,471 Australia Dec. 23, 1941 

